Here is this week's installment of "Five Faith Friday" which contains five, faith-based things I found interesting and am sharing on Friday.
Which Letter You Need to Read --
"The Role of Conscience in Voting" by Bishop Schlert. This comes on the heels of me watching Father James Altman's powerful 10 minute video and reading this letter from Father Frank Pavone as I look to properly form my conscience when I vote this fall. Mother Teresa summarizes it best when she spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C, on February 5, 1994. This is how she closed her speech: "If we remember that God loves us, and that we can love others as He loves us, then America can become a sign of peace for the world. From here, a sign of care for the weakest of the weak — the unborn child — must go out to the world. If you become a burning light of justice and peace in the world, then really you will be true to what the founders of this country stood for. God bless you!"
What Article I Really Enjoyed --
"Monks Are Making (and Inspiring) Your Whisky, Wine, Coffee, and Beer." What an entertaining article! Lots of fun history and facts about many of the items we enjoy on a regular basis. I especially appreciated the callout to Spencer Brewery who serves up some of my favorite beer and Mystic Monk Coffee which is exclusively what we drink at home.
Which Short Film I Watched --
The Shift. "An ordinary man whose faith has lapsed comes face-to-face with Satan and is given a choice: take a job that will bring him untold wealth and power, or be hounded by the Devil for the rest of his life." They are trying to fundraise the production of an entire feature length movie. If it is anything like the short film version (22 minutes), it should be fantastic!
What Song I Loved --
"Gratia Plena" by "The World's Most Beloved Tenor," Andrea Bocelli. "Gratia Plena" is Latin for "full of grace" in case you were wondering. It's his new hit single, written by Paolo Buonvino, from the feature film ‘Fatima’. I also had a chance to watch Fatima this past week and it was fantastic. Highly recommend you watch it this weekend. Fatima makes it very clear how important it is that we should be praying the rosary regularly. As Pope Pius X once said, "If there were one million families praying the rosary every day, the entire world would be saved." Amen.
What Reflection I Have For You --
Don't be like the elephant in the circus. Yes, you heard me correctly. Do you know how they train those elephants in the circus? When they are little, they attach a huge metal chain around their leg and the other end to a post driven deep into the ground. They tug and pull to get away but they can't. After a while they become conditioned and if you ever watch a grown elephant in the circus behind the scenes, they have a small little rope around their leg attached to a wooden post barely sticking into the ground. The elephant could flex and it would be free in a second but it doesn't. It's too conditioned. That's my challenge for you. Don't be like the elephant in the circus. Maybe you've been living out your faith the same way since you were in your youth. "It's worked so far!" you might spew out. But that's not the way we are expected to be living our lives. Break free of the rope and venture out. Pick up the Bible, pick up the catechism, pick up an extra Mass each week. Get uncomfortable. Step out of your comfort zone. Be like Christ.
Have a wonderful weekend and may God bless you and your family!
David Yingling started his weekly “Five Faith Friday” emails when the Coronavirus forced an end to his in-person “Pints & Prayers” gatherings, which he describes as “Men striving to deepen their faith over a cold one.” He’s a member of St. Jane Frances de Chantal Parish in Easton.
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